


candycanes and stockings

by Reasons_Why_Im_Crazy



Category: Shake It Up! (US TV)
Genre: Christmas Party, Christmas Presents, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Love Confessions, Mistletoe, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-12
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:41:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22684144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reasons_Why_Im_Crazy/pseuds/Reasons_Why_Im_Crazy
Summary: Shake it up! Chicago holds a Secret Santa event. The ones who guesses their santa right before the big reveal will be rewarded, as well as the santas who stay secretRocky have a bet with Ty on who gives the best gifts, meanwhile Cece panics on what to give Gunther
Relationships: Gunther Hessenheffer/CeCe Jones
Comments: 9
Kudos: 14





	1. game on

**Author's Note:**

> AU in which ty and gunther both work at shake it up! chicago because Fuck You. 
> 
> yes, there are secret santa fics out there already but i wanted to post my own. and yes, this is based on the secret santa episode from victorious. and YES, it's way past christmas but i don't care. ya'll are having this now, happy valentine's day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the first gifts are bought

Cece gets up from her seat to pack her bag after 20 minutes of arguing. Although it began fun, Rocky and Ty are very good at repeating the same thing over and over again. Shake It Up! Chicago is going on holiday break next week and Gary is holding up a secret santa for the dancers. Everyone has this week to give out 2 presents for their assigned person and at the Christmas party at Gary’s place, all secret santas will be revealed along with the last presents. A small price will be given to the people who guess their santa before it’s revealed, and so does the santas who remain secret. It’s nothing much, but no one wants to lose and thus hurt their pride. 

As each dancer got their assigned santa, Ty complained that he already has to give presents to his family and friends and doesn’t want to end the year broke. Rocky countered that Ty has no holiday spirit and it’s all about being a kind person. And so they began arguing. As Cece is done checking she’s got all of her stuff for the third time she goes back to the two siblings fighting. 

“You know what? I’ll do you one better! I’ll give the best presents you’ll ever see! People will look at my guy and be like  _ Oh who could your Santa be? They must be soooo nice _ ”

“As if, once they know it’s you they’ll also know you only did it for the dare”

“Like you’re any better, goody two shoes-”

“I can ask Gary for the studio keys if you’re gonna fight all day!” Cece interrupted. Both Ty and Rocky shut up for a second, looking at her, and then fixing their clothes discreetly. 

“So it’s a dare?” Rocky asks, lifting her head. Ty nods. 

“The one with the worse presents have to give mom and dad an extra present” He then grins. “Since you wanted to keep the golly mood up”

“Oh, you’ll be the one getting that. I was done shopping three-”

“Three months ago, we know” Cece interrupts,  _ again _ , since her point apparently wasn’t clear the first time. Ty leaves to speak to some other dancers and Rocky goes to pack her things. 

“I got Savannah” she mutters. Cece scoffs.

“You think you’re gonna win the dare when you got gold picker?”

“Digger”

“Whatever. This is not a dare on who’s the nicest. It’s who will give the most impressing gifts, and I don’t think you’ll be able to impress someone who literally only cares about money”

“That’s where you’re wrong. I’ll just build it up! Give something cute for starters, then something a little bit more pricey, like a dollar or so. And then, for the party, I’ll give her something really cool!” Cece sighs while looking at Rocky’s famous expression of determination. There’s no way she’ll back down on this. 

“You and your plans” 

“Who did you get?” Cece doesn’t even answer. She just holds up her tiny, crumbled note that she’ll been clenching since she picked it from the hat. Rocky squints in order to read it, then her eyes go wide, just like her smile. 

“You got Gunther? And you think  _ I _ got it tough?!” She giggles and Cece throws the note in the trash. 

“I have no idea what to give him”

“Just give him a shirt or something” 

“Do you see what he wears? Even if he looks ridiculous his clothes still have quality. If I gave him something cheap he won’t be impressed and I’ll look like an idiot at the party. And it has to be something he can match with Tinka, so not only do I gotta search through the men’s section but also the lady’s section-”

“Wow, you put a lot of thought into this” Rocky says with raised eyebrows. 

“Like I said, I don’t want him and Tinka to get an opportunity to drag me”

“I got that, but impressing someone and disappointing someone is a grey scale. I mean, if  _ anyone else _ got him I’m sure they won’t put much effort into his gift. No one at the party will fault you for having no clue on what to give him. It’s the thought that counts after all”

“I guess” Cece sighs. She glances over at Gunther, who from what she can see is still holding the paper note. He’s whispering with Tinka in a rather serious tone, who also seem to be frowning over her own tone. Poor people who have them as santas. “I wonder who Tinka’s santa is”

“Someone who’s  _ not _ going to analyze what possible shirt is deemable as a gift” 

“How do you know that?” Cece asks and crosses her arms. 

“Because only you would do something like that”

“You just did it with Savannah!”

“Because I got a dare to win. All you need to do is find a gift that isn’t laughable, which should be easy”

“Didn’t you just say I have it as tough as you?”

“I only said that because it’s  _ you _ ” Cece frowns at her.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Rocky goes quiet and zips up her bag while hiding a smile. 

“You’ll figure it out” 

The girls head out to the mall before they get home. They head for the jewelry store first, as those accessories fit both Savannah and Gunther relatively close. Cece glances at a gold chain, deciding if he already owns one of them or not. Rocky checks prices of rings, earrings, and necklaces while talking out loud non-stop on how she can proceed to level up her gifts. After that, they have to split up because whatever the Hessenheffers wear are not from ordinary stores. 

Cece manages to find a few stores in the mall she believes can be spots where the Hessenheffers shop. She skims through the lady’s section before going thoroughly through the men’s section. She groans internally while looking at the prices. How come it all cost to much? While being head’s deep into her thoughts and medium sized neon leather jackets, Cece spots a familiar face. This store really is the jackpot because she sees Gunther by the sequin shirts. 

“Oh no...” she mutters and sneaks further into the store. If he sees her he’ll know she’s his secret santa! Cece backs slowly away and hides behind the coats. She peaks between the clothes and sees him walk further to her direction. Luckily she finds that the store is bigger than she previously expected and she turns to hide on the other side. 

It seems to be a kid’s section, with its own check out and entrance to the store. All of the clothes are even more outstanding because kids just wear more colors, shapes and glitter than teens and adults. Her eyes catches one particular jacket that instantly reminds her of what Gunther wore when he was younger. “That’s kind of cute...” She touches the soft fabrik, and finds the price tag. “$299 for a jacket?! Jeez, their parents must be rich…!” When she turns her head to head out of the store through the second exit, she’s met by a pair of familiar blue eyes. 

“Hello baybee” Gunther is leaning over the short shelves and grins at her. Cece freezes in her tracks, still remaining eye contact though.

“Uhhh… hi. Didn’t see you there” 

“I have never seen you here before. Looking for something special?” Gunther glances down at the clothes she is standing in front of and she can’t help but feel her face getting warm. It’s ridiculous really, why is she feeling so nervous?

“No, I’m just looking around” Cece forces a laugh. “You know, for the secret santa thing! I think looking through stores I haven’t been in might spark some creativity”

“Who did you get?”

“I’m not telling you”

“Why not?”

“Because you might tell them”

“Fair point” He strolls around the shelf and Cece notices the bundle of clothed hangers he’s holding in one hand. 

“You’re also looking for gifts?”

“Yes, but I’m sort of in a hole...” Gunther holds up the clothes he has picked out. From all of the things there are in the store, those are the least shiny. “I’m trying to find something that will pop out if he wore it but also blend in with his style. He wears such boring, grey colors”

“I’m not a male’s fashion expert, but I’m sure looking at _ literally any other store _ would benefit you more” Gunther nods and goes through the hangers once more. He goes quiet and tilts his head from side to side, measuring the pros and cons. It’s kind of cute. 

“Alright. Do you know what stores most guys go to?”

“I can show you some, but first can I ask you a question?” He stares at her with an expression she can’t read, and she has to stop herself from taking a step back.

“Yes?”

“What would you say are some nice clothes from here?” Gunther tilts his head once more and Cece’s heart beats faster, thinking maybe he figured it out. But then he nods to the men’s section. 

“I personally love the shirts by the check out. You could take a look at them” 

“Okay, thanks” He smiles at her as she heads to the check out. She tried her best not to hurry, so that she doesn’t look too awkward. 

The shirts Gunther was talking about look exactly like something he’d wear. Cece notices that alone, they don’t look too bad, but he will definitely pair them up with more glitter and have them blend with the rest of his clothes. Too bad, but it’s his style. She picks one shirt, hopes it’s the right size and buys it. 

As she exits the store she sees Gunther have put back the clothes and is waiting outside. He glances over at the other stores. 

“So, which one do you prefer?” he asks as Cece approaches him. She points at a general direction to the store with large pictures of handsome middle-aged men in leather jackets. 

“I’m sure you’ll find something good from just looking at what the mannequins are wearing”

“Oh, okay” Gunther nods at her. There’s something under his voice that she can’t put a finger on. It sort of sounds like disappointment, but what would he be bummed about? He got his advice, she got her advice, and now she’ll just go and find Rocky. She isn’t really hard to find, as when Cece picks up her phone to text where she is, she notices three voicemails saying she’s already waiting outside. 

“I gotta go, Rocky’s waiting” Gunther waves at her while she leaves. She finds Rocky waiting by the bus stop with a tiny shopping bag from a jewelry store. When she spots Cece she has a devilish look on her face. “What did you get her?”

“I found a really cute bracelet on sale. Half the price!” She dangles the bag, the devil smile still stuck on her face. Cece shifts slightly. 

“Okay, am I missing something?”

“Well you missed  _ me  _ walking by while you talked to Gunther. I waved and all but your eyes were stuck on him. Did you even blink?” Cece feels her face grow hot and she stutters out a response. 

“I - what-  _ When _ ?” she settles. Rocky keeps on smiling and giggles. 

“When you went out of the store. You walked right past me, even though I waved, and up to him instead”

“W-well, I promised him some directions. Clearly he needed my help with finding a good gift” She crosses her arms and feels her fast heartbeat. “And I tricked him into picking his own gift that I’m gonna give him”

“Good for you, but uh” Rocky points at the shirt she’s holding. She didn’t get a bag with it. “Did you hide that you bought it, because otherwise-”

“He’ll know I bought it!” Cece groans loudly, realizing her mistake. She throws her hands up dramatically and covers her face in shame. A gentle hand is placed on her shoulder. When she opens her eyes she sees that same devil smile again and she glares right back at it. 

“I don’t think he’ll notice. He seemed too occupied with...  _ listening to your directions _ ” 

“Now’s not the time with teasing!” Cece hits her with the shirt. 

“I mean, if it’s not enough for him to understand after you went to the store only  _ he and Tinka _ shops at, then he won’t notice his gift is the same shirt you held up to him” Rocky leans closer to her with a side-eye. “There’s a reason Tinka’s the smart one” Cece gives her a flat look but sighs at the end. They step into the bus when it arrives and they both hope that their gifts will be appreciated. 


	2. thickening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> everyone gets their presents

Most dancers have gifts under the tree at the studio already the next day. Cece is surprised by how enthusiastic they are, perhaps that’s why Gary thought it was a good idea. But knowing him, he probably also have a reason to bring it up, and she doubts it’s because he  _ feels golly _ . 

When the Blue siblings see the tree they both bolt over to search for their gifts. Some dancers, just reading their little rhymes by the tree, have to quickly move over in order to not be pushed back by them. Cece rolls her eyes and walks over, having all the time in the world. Rocky raises a neatly wrapped package with one hand and blows hair from her face, Ty stumbles back with his and reads the rhyme. 

_ “These are made for walking, so that’s what they’re gonna do. If you don’t like this gift then Imma walk all over you.  _ Jeez, so aggressive” He tears through the wrapping while Rocky looks over her package. 

“I didn’t get any rhyme” 

“That sucks, I guess- woah!” Ty pulls out a pair of sneakers from the box. He inspects them thoroughly with a large grin on his face. “These are fresh! I don’t think they’ve been out for any longer than a couple weeks!” Rocky opens up her package as well and gasps. Cece gasps as well when she sees the black leather boots. She checks the inside and yep, it’s even vegan leather. 

“These are gorgeous!” she exclaims. She spots Savannah a few feet away, smiling a little as she puts on the bracelet. “And it seems my present got a victory. Ty, how did your present turn out?” she asks it with an edge on her tone, but Ty seems unaffected. 

“A victory on my part as well. Pretty sure I nailed it in fact”

“Well, we’ll see about the second gift then” They part ways before Cece even managed up to the tree. She finds a small package with her name on it. 

“ _ I know the rhyme is no need, because you don’t like to read _ . Well, that’s just lazy” She opens the box anyway and finds a pair of small but very pretty earrings. Small white stones lines the edges and a large red stone looks back at her like an eye. They seem to have costed a lot and Cece smiles. She was so distracted by Rocky’s bet and getting a present for Gunther that she didn’t even think about what  _ she _ would get for presents. Speaking of Gunther…

“What a pleasant surprise!” she hears him exclaim on the other side of the tree. She walks around it to find him there with Tinka and holding up the shiny shirt. He has a big grin on his face. Tinka seems to be smiling with him, a little less enthusiastic though. Cece’s eyes drop to what she’s holding and she can understand why. Those shoes seem to be secondhand, the leather has worn spots and the pink color is faded. 

“At least you got something nice” she says and Gunther pats her back. 

“I can restore them for you, if you want. It’s not the worst state I’ve seen a pair of shoes be in”

“They’re aunt shoes” Tinka says with a flat tone. “Even if you made them look new, which I know you can, they’re still out of date” This time, Gunther wraps his arm around her, smiling at her fondly. 

“I’m sure we could restore them and sell them for a good price” he says it in a low voice and it’s by sheer luck Cece can even hear him. Tinka hits him playfully. 

“You can’t say that out loud”

“But you thought the same” They both laugh. Cece can’t help but smile. She hasn’t thought about how caring they are for each other. Also, being able to restore clothes is a handy skill. She wonders how many clothes she would’ve if she could do that, like her favourite jeans from 3rd grade-

“Earth to Cece, are you listening?” Rocky’s voice suddenly booms in her head. She jolts and turns to look at her with wide eyes. 

“Do you have to sneak up on me like that?!”

“I called your name for times. We’re going to rehearse, you coming?” Cece nods quickly. 

“Yeah! Well, yes!” Rocky squints at her strangely while they walk to their changing rooms to drop off their presents, but drops the look after a while. 

“Did you like your present?”

“Oh yeah, look at these beauties!” Cece holds up the box with the earrings for her. 

“Those can’t have been cheap!” she says and bends over to have a better look at them. “So, how did it go with Gunther?”

“He seemed to like it, so I feel pretty good” she says it in a casual tone and Rocky glances up at her, nodding along.

“Uh huh, I can see that. You’re smiling like you won the lottery” Cece purses her lips and crosses her arms, trying not to think about getting used to feeling her face heating up. 

“I’m just relieved he didn’t find out, that’s all” They walk to the dancefloor and she sees Gunther neatly folding his shirt into his bag, and her face does not cool down. Best to start dancing so people don’t look at her weird. 


	3. no cheap sheep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sooooo, this took longer than expected to be done. It's way past valentines now lol. but hey, it's a christmas fic so it's still very very late. don't forget to leave kudos and comments!

The dancers gets their presents much more sprinkled through the rest of the week. None more than a handful gets their gifts the next day. The most people recieve their gifts a day or two before Friday. Rocky and Cece went out to the mall once again to find appropriate gifts, but to no avail for Cece. She couldn’t find anything good and had to watch Rocky happily gush over her amazing gift-picking skills. 

“Okay, so, if you don’t want to give him another skirt, or any more clothes for that matter, how about something more… goat-like?” She suggests while Cece sulks by the smoothie shop they decided to take a break at. 

“You mean something related to The Old Country?”

“Exactly! We’ve been at their place, just pick something that would fit that aesthetic”

“And how do I know what’s from The Old Country and what’s from Las Vegas?”

“Does that matter?” Rocky asks in a flat tone and Cece sighs, laying her head down on the table. 

“I guess not...” They sit quiet for a while and sip on their smoothies. Cece doesn’t pick her head up and Rocky wonders if she fell asleep. It’s at that moment she’s hit by a thought and nudges her awake. 

“Remember that sketchy, second-hand antique store a few blocks away?”

“ _ Amanda’s Pots and Plates? _ ” 

“Yeah, I saw one painting there. It had green landscapes and a herd of sheep with a tiny house. We can go and see if they still got it” Cece sits up finally. 

“I guess I have no other choice” 

The store isn’t far away from the mall, so they head out right after they finish their smoothies. The store is small and the headowner is a kind old man in a knitted sweater. When asked about the name of the store, he says it’s the name of his grandmother, who opened it. 

“A few days back I found a painting of sheep and a tiny house, do you still have it here?” Rocky asks. The headowner nods and shows the painting in the far back. Cece halters when she sees it.

“It’s huge!” 

“Yes, it’s about 24 inches in length, 40 inches in width. One of the bigger ones I got” the headowner says. Cece bites her lip as she finds the pricetag. Glancing at the other, smaller paintings, she finds it’s the only one of this type of motif. All the other paintings are portraits of people or animals. She is desperate, however…

“I’ll buy it” 

“You’re really gonna do it?” Rocky asks with her eyebrows raised. The headowner seems surprised as well. 

“Is it for someone special?”

“I guess one could say he’s special” Cece answers, and the headowner has the guts to smile wholeheartedly. 

“Oh, then I can wrap it in for free, if you want”

“That’d be really nice, thank you” Rocky answers for Cece. The headowner takes the painting to the back after Cece has paid and the girls are waiting while he wraps it up. Rocky gives her a glance. “From shirt to painting, that’s a big jump”

“It was your idea” 

“Yeah, but I didn’t know it’d be so expensive”

“Whatever” Cece picks her nails. “I’m not gonna spend this much on the last gift. Also, you’ll probably get my friendship for Christmas this year as well…” Now, Rocky turns her whole body towards her, making her realize her mistake. 

“Don’t take this as me being offended, but you’re spending 800 bucks on a painting for Gunther and you’re giving me, your  _ best friend _ ... friendship?” Cece opens her mouth and keeps it open for a second too long without saying a single thing. Then she opens her arms and takes Rocky’s hands into her own. 

“I’m kidding, of course not! You’ll get the best gift you could  _ ever imagine _ !” And she laughs nervously, making Rocky frown at her with a quirked eyebrow. The headowner comes back out with the painting inside neat, green paper wrapping. He smiles knowingly as Cece accepts it and have to have Rocky help her carry it back home. 

It’s a bitch to get the package to the studio without looking too suspicious. Luckily, she isn’t the last one to leave the second present under the tree. She looks for her own present but it seems her santa hasn’t left it yet. From the her first present, she’s got high expectations. 

Gunther doesn’t look for his present until the day before the party. By that time, every gift had been handed out. 

Rocky swatches the eyeshadows of her new palette on her forearm while Cece stares across the studio, watching Gunther unwrap the giant painting. The gift had drawn attention to a few of the dancers, two people help him tear off the paper, and they all gasp when it’s revealed. Gunther smiles from ear to ear so brightly it’s contagious.

“Do you think  _ Fancy _ would look good with  _ Night Out _ ?” Rocky asks. She holds up her arm, pointing at a shimmery pink shade and a dark blue. Cece shrugs, barely glancing at the colors. 

“Palettes are made so all shades match each other”

“Yeah, that’s the point, but sometimes that’s not executed well. Hence why I’m asking” Rocky nudges at her. “You haven’t even opened your own gift! All that talk and whining, ‘ _ When will it come?’ _ and now it’s just sitting on your lap” She had a point. Cece couldn’t enjoy waiting for her gift while thinking about what to give Gunther. She hoped for him to open it early so she could use his reaction as a hint on his last gift, and now they’re here. She sighs and tears through the paper wrap. 

“So, any idea on who is your secret santa?” Cece asks. 

“I have no idea. From the sense of style this person has and knowing what looks good on me, I’d guess it’s a girl”

“And Savannah hasn’t figured out yet?” Rocky shakes her head and tilts her head up triumphantly. 

“Nope! Absolutely clueless! Ty doesn’t know who his santa is either. He got this brown leather jacket, with the price tag still on. $400! I’ve never seen him fold a piece of clothing so neatly in his life!”

“Uhuh” Cece unfolds the dress from the wrapping. It’s long, baby pink, and made out of a thin soft fabric. She stands up to get a better look at the length. It’s just enough to not touch the floor. 

“That’s really cute!” Rocky chirps. “Who do you think it’s from?”

“Tinka” 

“Fast answer. Don’t you think it’s a little too… sheer? I mean she’s more of a bright pink kinda girl” 

“It’s betwinkled. I saw this dress at the mall and it  _ did not  _ have rhinestones on it” Rocky looks at the sparkling stones, runs a finger over the pattern. 

“She did a pretty good job at it, not gonna lie”

“Yeah, I could go out with this on, but it’s not a statement piece. Maybe that was her motive, though” Cece turns the dress, looking at the back and the smaller details. As they discuss the dress, Gary comes out. 

“Okay, have you all gotten your second presents now?” he asks loudly so everyone could hear him. Everyone says their  _ yes’ _ and  _ yeah’s  _ and Gary beams. “That’s great to hear! Remember the party will be at my place on Saturday after our last show, make sure to bring your last gifts for it!” As he leaves, Rocky grabs his sleeve. 

“So Gary, we never asked. What’s up with the whole secret santa thing?”

“I can’t give my amazing dancers some golly vibes before the holidays?” he smiles as if it was obvious, and as both Rocky and Cece looks at him with a deadpan expression, he gives in. “Alright, so I’m looking for a job for the New Years and I think being seen as the cool host will give me a guaranteed place”

“What kinda job?” Cece asks. 

“Interviewing celebrities at the Time Square”

“Wow, that’s really cool! I wonder why they didn’t ask someone younger, like us” Cece says to Rocky. 

“Probably because they want someone above 21 to do it, since everyone will drink various amounts of alcohol there” Gary answers and ignores the other part of her comment. “Welp, I’m not gonna keep around longer. Good luck with the gift-finding and santa-guessing!”


	4. guess who

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cece is ready to give up when someone knocks at her door

Cece decides to stay home while Rocky goes out to buy the last gift for Savannah. At first it seemed like a good idea to avoid feeling bummed that her friend have it easier to find gifts that her, but now she’s alone with her thoughts which is never a fun thing. They always go back to why the hell she’s so picky with finding a gift for Gunther yet have no problem skipping giving Rocky a present for Christmas (which she won’t this year!…. okay, maybe she will). It doesn’t make sense. She’s never cared about his opinion on her before. Not her clothes, or her attitude, or her actions. And he always complain about those things!

Or does he?

It’s usually Tinka who insults her, now that she thinks about it. And when he does say something rude, it’s usually pointed towards her  _ and _ Rocky as a duo. Will this be the first time Gunther might throw an insult at her personally? Oh, she _ hates _ that thought. For some godforsaken reason, she hates the thought of it being clear  _ he _ dislikes  _ her, _ not the  _ Hessenheffers _ disliking  _ Cece and Rocky. _

“And if that’s the case, what do I  _ want _ him to feel about me?” Cece thinks unwillingly. The mere thought of answering her own question gives her a headache, so she gets up from her couch which she’s been lying on and heads to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of water. 

To be honest, having a rival is the worst thing in the world. It only contributes to half of her determination to become a great dancer, the rest is her own ambition and the dream to be famous with Rocky. It’s not like she’s angry at other coworkers for being more successful than her, if she did then why is she not as mean them as she is to the Hessenheffers? The grudge never stays like it does over them. She’s always mean to them, to him. 

_ It sucks. _

Why can’t they just be equal? Or even better, friends? Tinka isn’t that bad to hang out with, she’d totally invite her to a second sleepover party. She gets along with Dina quite well, and Ty seems to like her, like, a lot actually… And Gunther gets along with basically everyone. Cece’s sure Rocky would think the same, she dislikes having people not like her more than anyone she knows. So why can’t they get along? Would it be so bad to be nice to each other? To hang out at Crusty’s? To work alongside each other? To watch movies together? To dance together? To make each other smile? To hold each other? To look into his blue eyes? To kiss-

Cece chokes on her water and coughs violently, but not enough to be the cause to why her face suddenly feels all hot. Her thoughts don’t go any further than that. She spits into the sink and slumps down on the nearest chair at the table, resting her aching head in her hands. What is she supposed to do?

It is at that moment her door knocks. Being the only one home, Cece picks herself up and opens the door. Tinka walks right past her inside with her shiny coat and fluffy earmuffs.

“Good evening” she says and takes off her gloves. 

“Hey?” Cece responds, confused and frowning. “What are you doing here?”

“I’ve come to give you your last gift. It’ll be a short visit, you see, Gunther doesn’t know I’m here so I need to get back before he goes looking for me” 

“I don’t think you got the memo, but you’re supposed to confess that you’re my secret santa  _ at the party _ ” Tinka rolls her eyes. 

“I know, and I also know you figured it out already, which surprised me, but you need to get this gift before the party in order for this to work” she has this look in her eyes that makes Cece shift. 

“What… is the present?”

“An idea on what you can give to my brother” Cece pauses for a second, eyebrows in her hairline and she closes the door that she still held open. She raises a pointed finger. 

“You- Your gift _ to me _ is a gift to Gunther? That’s just- How did you even  _ know  _ it’s me?”

“Oh please, the shirt was a dead giveaway. You’d think I wouldn’t notice you went to the store we shop at for the first time  _ just in time _ for the secret santa event?” So Gunther told her? At least she didn’t blow her cover. 

“Gunther didn’t notice”

“He’s not the sheep with the brightest wool in the herd, but that is besides the point” Tinka puts her hands on her hips. “Do you want the knowledge or not?” Cece sighs at last. Again, going for the desperate route. 

“Alright, let’s hear it”

“Gunther is in love with you” Cece’s eyes are as big as teacups. She stutters and opens her mouth like a goldfish until any noise comes out of her. 

“He... he likes me?” Tinka nods and sighs.

“It’s embarrassing really, I’m shocked you haven’t noticed earlier since he constantly acts like a lovesick kitten. But you have the ability to switch off your brain at unexpected times, so I suppose I’m not surprised” In her sudden shock Cece still manages to glare at her. 

“What am I supposed to do with this info?”

“Confess your love back, obviously” Tinka says as if it’s the most apparent thing in the world. Cece shakes her head.

“But I don’t-”

“Don’t like him back?” Tinka interrupts and scoffs. “ _ Rocky _ told me otherwise” 

“Rocky? She-” Oh.  _ Oh. _ They’ve been conspiring with each other. That sneaky little-

“Just make sure you don’t come up with something corny. I, and I’m sure I can speak for the rest of our coworkers, want to keep our dinner inside our bellies” Tinka pats her stomach and prepares to leave. Cece takes her arm. 

“So, you’re cool with this?” Tinka looks up at her for a second and her face softens. Something vulnerable and warm appears in her eyes. 

“Of course I am. I love Gunther more than I dislike you. But I will drag his taste in women for the rest of his life unless you become bearable to hang around” She snatches back her arm and her face goes back to normal. 

“I’ll keep that in mind” Cece closes the door for her when she leaves and puts her forehead against the wood. Well this got just a little bit easier, didn’t it. She smiles and puts on her jacket, ready to head to the mall before Rocky returns home. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i was actually thinking about making this into one long chapter but then i remember that that's going to take some time to write, so i devided them into two. the next chapter will probably take some time to write, so be patient with me


	5. rocking around

The party is well past hyped up once Cece, Rocky and Ty arrives. There are more than just the dancers who are there, it seems every room in Gary’s house have people in it. They are talking, singing along to the songs, some are dancing, and everyone seem to have a good time. In the living room there is a large tree where everyone has put their presents, so the three put theirs under it as well. Unconsciously, Cece eyes the room to find Gunther, and she sees him chatter with Tinka. They match with christmas sweaters, surprisingly less sparkly, which is strange since this is the time of year when you wear the most glitter you can muster. Tinka spots her and subtly gives her a knowing nod. 

It doesn’t take long for Gary to appear in a red suit, which makes him look more like Satan than Santa. He stands on a high stool and looks down on the others as they gather around him. 

“I hope everyone’s having a great time already! Now it’s time to give out the last presents and guess the santa, does anyone wanna start guessing first?” A few dancers raise their arms, arguing they know _ for sure _ who their secret santa is. Gary chooses Kevin to come forth. He looks through under the tree and finds the present with his name on it. There’s no rhyme and the package is very small. The neutral, almost bored look he has makes Cece feel like Kevin’s gotten the same small present every time. It’s a 20 bucks gift card for Starbucks. 

“So…” Kevin starts and scratches the back of his neck. “They gotta be someone who doesn’t know me too well, I think. Because the gift is… well, good but not personal… I guess it’s Savannah” The crowd shifts for Savannah to come forward to the tree. She’s smiling like there’s nothing wrong with her present. 

“Savannah, are you Kevin’s secret santa?” Gary asks and she nods. 

“Yep, it’s me! I thought better safe than sorry, and everyone loves Starbucks!” 

“Except Kevin drinks homebrewed” Cece thinks but doesn’t say out loud. Savannah is looking under the tree before Kevin even goes back to his friends. She holds up her present in a triumphant way and unwraps it quickly. 

“She isn’t even going to read the rhyme?” Rocky whispers irritatedly so Cece. Ty leans in. 

“It’s her gift. If you know her you’d wouldn’t put the effort to make a rhyme” Rocky mutters in a whiny noise back to him.

“Like you know the one you gave to better” 

“Aw, I love this bag!” Savannah exclaims as she holds up the brand new, purple handbag for the others to see. Rocky glances at Ty with a smirk, until… “I always wanted a new one!” Looking closer, Savannah isn’t smiling with genuine happiness that Cece previously thought and it seems Rocky notices that as well as her face falls into her classic, defeated glare. 

“Who do you think your Secret Santa is?”

“Oh, I don’t know, I never thought about it” Both Ty and Cece has to put their hands in front of Rocky so she won’t make a scene. Instead she walks up slowly, with the steadiest face she can pull off, and confesses being her secret santa. Savannah smiles back at her but the disappointment in her eyes are clear. She expected something more from  _ mrs. people please _ r, especially since she’s the well-known  _ mrs. hard to please _ . 

“That’s one point for a secret santa and one point for a gift-receiver” Gary says to lighten up the awkward tension. Rocky looks for her gift once Savannah goes back to her friends. She finds a rather large package, looking over the wrapping for a second before tearing through it. Cece and Ty give each other a glance. 

“Oh my god!” Rocky looks down on a beautiful red bag. She rotates it in her hands, looking over all the details. “This is stunning! I can’t believe someone would give me something like this”

“Do you have a guess on who it is?” Gary asks and Rocky shakes her head. She eyes the crowd, raising her head to look over the front line. She point at a direction.

“I’m gonna guess Sammy” Gary looks over where she point and Sammy shakes her head to him. 

“I’m afraid that’s incorrect. Can Rocky’s secret santa show up?”

Cece can’t help but grin over the audible gasps as Ty steps forward. Rocky’s face sinks and she stares at him with big and surprised eyes. Ty just laughs.

“You didn’t think it was me, did you? Y’all hear that folks? I am now the best big brother!” he shouts to the crowd, who now have finally understood what is going on and laughs along with him. Rocky looks defeated and heads back to Cece. 

“I think this is the first time you won’t have all presents prepared three months before Christmas” she says.

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me” 

“And  _ I _ can’t believe  _ you _ didn’t tell me, either” Cece repeats and points at herself. Rocky frowns. 

“Tell you what?” She leans in to whisper as Ty is unwrapping his present and the room is going a little bit quieter.

“You’re playing matchmaker with Tinka. I would have liked you telling me you knew who I had a crush on before I even knew it myself” 

“Oh, don’t say that. Literally _ everyone  _ knew before you did” She hits her arm and Rocky rubs it before leaning in as well. “What, so you’re gonna make a move?”

“You’ll see…” Ty makes the most ridiculous noise of happy surprise as he holds up two tickets.

“You’re kidding me!! I was just saying how downed I was that I couldn’t afford buying these!”

“Who’s your guess?” Gary asks. 

“Someone with a good ear. Is it you, Jackie? I see you in the back!” Ty points as well to a guy inside the crowd. An arm sticks out and waves, which Cece guesses is Jackie. 

“Good guess but nah, sorry!” he answers. 

“Can Ty’s secret santa come up?”

“Hallo!” There’s another wave of shocked gasps as another arm is raised from across the room. The crowd breaks up so Gunther can walk up to where Ty is standing. He has his arms as open wide as the grin on his face. 

_ “You didn’t think it was me, did you?” _ Gunther repeats. A few people laugh. Rocky looks a little pleased as well. Ty looks taken aback but laughs it off. 

“You got me there” They share a half hug, patting each other on the back. “It’s good to know you listen. Thanks, man”

“Of course” Now, Gunther digs in the pile of presents to find the one with his name written on it. Cece holds her breath while he does it, and it takes a while because the present is small. Perhaps the smallest in the pile, apart from the giftcard Kevin received

“There it is” he finally says, holding the small red box. It only has a green ribbon tying the lid with the box. He inspects it for a second, wonder visible on his face. He unties the ribbon and opens the box. A frown appears on his face and Cece feels her gut sink. 

“What’s, uhh… what was this called now again?” Gunther asks, almost bashful and holds up his present. 

“That’s a mistletoe” Gary answers, holding back a chuckle. 

“Ah, right then” Gunther looks down on the small plant and stays quiet for a moment. “That makes the guessing a little bit harder” 

“You got any clue?” he shakes his head, clutching the box tighter. 

“Not at all” 

“Well then, can Gunther’s secret santa come up?” Cece lets out her breath and takes a step out of the crowd, making all dancers start mumbling with each other, a few gasps are heard, Ty looks completely lost, but Rocky and Tinka smiles at her in an encouraging way. When Gunther comes out of the shock seeing her walk up, understanding it’s her that’s been giving him those nice presents, a ray of emotions passes through his eyes. His ears turn red and he doesn’t really meet her eyes, but he can’t stop looking at her. 

“Oh” it’s all he says. 

“I take your lack of words that you  _ liked _ the presents”

“I did!” Gunther replied quickly, the blush creeps up to his cheeks. “Believe me, I really,  _ really _ did like them. It’s just-” he falters. “This is not a joke, right?” A small, familiar feeling of guilt stings in Cece’s chest. They really have not been nice to each other, have they? It’s in this moment she realizes perhaps she should’ve done this talk in private, as the whispering in the crowd hasn’t stopped, and she’s quite sure she’s seeing someone filming them. But maybe that’s just Rocky. 

“It’s not a joke…” she bites her lip glancing up at his nervous expression. “You do know what to do with that thing now, right?” It finally clicks for him. Gunther blinks once, twice, and then a smile blooms on his face. He raises his hand, holding the mistletoe above their heads. 

“I’m sure I specifically told them to  _ not _ make this corny” Tinka mutters to Rocky, who’s indeed holding up her phone, pushing down the button and taking millions of pictures. . 

“It’ll make fun holiday cards, though. Their kiss on the front, and you vomiting on the back with the words  _ Merry Kissmas _ ” Tinka groans. 

“How can you somehow make it worse?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so this took longer than anticipated to finish. i have no excuse with the virus going around and keeping me inside all day. anyways, i hope you all have had a happy easter and i also hope you enjoyed this fic! leve kudos and a keysmash in the comments, i love every comment i get


End file.
